Cigarette dispensing container and lighter



. Feb. 22, 1949. F. STEIN CIGARETTE DISPENSING CONTAINER AND LIGHTERA Filed Jan. '1, 1944 Nfggln.....,n...g{........".. n 1:

INVE TOR ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 22, 1,949

l CIGARETTE DISPENSING CONTAINER AND LIGHTER Fred Stein, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application January 1, 1944, Serial No. 516,613

The present invention relates to a combination container and lighter for cigarettes, and has for an object to pro-vide a device wherein a quantity of cigarettes may be carried, and which is adapted by the operation of the device to individually project the cigarettes into relation with a lighting element. It is particularly proposed to provide the lighting element in such arrangement that the projected end of the cigarette may be placed in the smokers mouth while the cigarette remains in the device in operative relation with the lighting element, enabling the smoker to draw upon the cigarette to cause it to ignite and to thereupon withdraw it completely from the device in a lighted condition While still held in the mouth.

Another object is to provide such a device which may be conveniently operated by one hand, and, through the function of the device v4of automatically positioning the cigarette into lighting relation to the lighting element, the device will -be especially useful for automobile drivers, en-

abling the cigarette to Ibe projected, lighted, and Withdrawn with the use of one hand and without requiring the driver to take his eyes from the road.

With the above and other objects in view, an

- embodiment of the invention is shown in the nally pointed out in the claims.

' AIn the drawings- Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a combination container and lighter for cigarettes, the same being shown in its closed position.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the device in its open operative position, a cigar-ette being shown in the projected position where it may be engaged by the mouth of the smoker, and showing in` dot-and-dash lines the position of the cigarette in relation to the lighting element and to which it is automatically moved through the operation of the devic'e.

Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the casing member. of the device with the cover removed.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view taken along the line 4-4 yof Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is an end elevation from the cigarette ejecting side, i. e., looking toward Ithe left hand end of the device as shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation from the opposite side, looking towardthe right hand end of the device as shown in Fig. 2, the device being shown in the open operative position illustrated in Fig. 2.

2 claims. (o1. 20s-41.3)

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, the combination container and lighter for cigarettes, according to the exemplary embodiment ofthe invention illustrated therein, comprises a case consisting of a.

rectangular back portion I0, an upper front portion II, preferably formed as an integral eX- tension of the back portion and connected thereto by a curved top portion I2, a lower front portion I3, also preferably formed as an integral extension of the back portion and connected thereto by a curved bottom portion i4, and left and right hand side wall portions I5 and I6, `each bent forwardly from a side edge of the back portion and abutted with the Iinner surfaces of the top and bottom front wall portions Il and I3, and preferably secured thereto by soldering, or the like.

The edges of the front Wall portions II and I3 are spaced apart a considerable distance to provide' a relatively large opening in thecase for convenience in lling it with cigarettes, as will hereinafter more fully appear, and to further facilitate this' lling operation, the forward edge of the left hand sidewall portion I5 is recessed inwardly, as at Il, between the edges of the front wall portions to provide an end space through which the cigarettes may be conveniently inserted. The upper edge of the side wall portion I5 terminates in spaced relation to the curved top wall portion I2, as shown clearly in Fig. 3, to provide a vertically elongated space through which the Iuppermost cigarette 'in the container is adapted to `be projected to enable it to be gripped by the mouth of the smoker, and thereupon after being partially withdrawn automatically moved upwardly in the space into alignment with a lighter ele-ment, as will hereinafter more fully appear.

The upper end of the side wall portion I6 also terminates in spaced relation to the curved upper end wall I2, and a horizontal partition wall I8 is bent inwardly therefrom in spaced relation to the top wall I2, its forward end terminating at a point substantially inwardly spaced from the left hand edge of the case. The space above this wall I8 constitutes a receptacle portion for the lighter element, while its lower surface constitutes an upper abut-ment for the cigarettes, the uppermost cigarette in the case being normally pressed against this lower surface.

The side wall I6 has connected to its front edge a vertically extending flange portion I9, the upper and lower ends of which are respecber is adapted to operate, as willpresentl-y more fully appear. This flange also has for its purpose to provide retaining means for the ends of the cigarettes to retain them infengagement with the back wall portion i0.

The side wall portion I6 is provided with an inwardly embossed rib 23 extending from a point spaced downwardly from the partition wallf i8,v

substantially to the bottom of the side wall and has for its purpose to provide for an abutment against which the ends of the cigarettes at one sidel are engaged, the space. between thea upper end ofi the rib and the. partition. wall i8 providing a pocket outwardly offset from; the. ends of the cigarettes in which the end of the electing spring'ii'sengaged", asA will presently' more. ffully appear, so thatV it is normallyA disposed behind the uppermost cigarette, asf the latter moves against the partition wall into alignment with the ejecting spring.

The cigarettes are'fed upwardly by means of a plushV shoe- 24, of box-like fornrcpen at itsiunder and forward sides, andl between which and? the base of the case-there is` engagedv anexpansion spring'member 2'5, the push shoe being sl'idab'l'y retained in engagement with the back wall" lll byv having one end portion'slidably d'isposecfbeneath the dange I9. A button memberl 26, headed at each end, is engaged in a short horizontal slot 2l in the longitudinal side wall of the push shoe and. is also engaged in a vertical sl'ot 28 in the backA wall I0 ofthe case, this slot being provided at its lower end with a horizon'-v tally .extending bayonet portion 29, so that when cigarettes are being pla-ced in the case the push shoe. may bev retained in its' lower position by sliding.. the. button horizontally into the bayonet slot 29; the push. shoe. being released simply by movin-g, the button horizontally out of engagement with the bayonet slot 29 intok alignment with the vertical slot.

The. ejection. spring apis secured. upon the for-ward side of the flange I9. at its lower end by means of retainingv band portions 3i preferably lanced out oi the flange port-ion; and pressed outwardly therefrom, this spring beingl provided with an'- in-clined camming portion 32 intermediate'its ends, an upper vertically disposed portion and' an outwardly bent 'upper end portion 34 at the outer end of which there. is provided a right angularly bent ejection finger 35 adapted in the closed. position of; the container to be disposed in the pocket portionv above the apper endof. the rib- 23. The ejection. spring. is retained in this'` position by a lug 36. provided uponthe front wall 31 of the.v cover member, this cover member being of substantially rectangular form and constituting a slidable front. for the caise,.being, provided at its side edges with rearwardly extending side walls; 38- and 39,. respectively provided at their rearward edges withinturned retaining lip arrges 40 and'. 4L The side walls in the normal. closed position of. the cover extend above andtbelow the upper edges of the front wall'so. that they conform to the curved upper and lower end walls I2 and I4 of the case.

The lighter unit is disposed within the receptacle portion above the partition wall I8 and comprises a cylindrical body portion 42 provided at its forward end with a cylindrical socket 43 in which the lighting element 44 is provided, the body portion being provided with a. spring pressed actuating Vplunger'. 45 mx'nially` protecting from the body portionl and provided at its under side with an inclined cam face 46. While the lighter unit .may be of any suitable type, the type illustrated. isy one in which the lighting element 44 consists of' sponge platinum which becomes incandescent when a fluid, such as alcohol, is released into contact therewith, the body portion being provided with a suitable container for the liquidV and being further provided with suitable fluidi releasing means in the form of a valve which is normally closed when the plunger 45 is depressed and is open when it is projected. The opening of the valve-releases the. liquid so that thee sponge platinum becomes incandescent. Such lighter uni-ts are Well known so'that` a iurtherv description of its struoturevand; operation is. not thought' necessary. According to.` the in-r vention, theV cam facel 46 of. the plunger 45 isin operative' alignment with thev upper endy or the side'wall'39'o-f the. cover so that when the-cover is in closed position as'shown in Fig. 1 this upper end retains the 'plunger 45 in. itsA retracted posi tionfwi'thin thenbody'of. the lighter, this being the position when the lighter is inoperative, upward closing.` movement of the cover causing the upper end: oi the side wall 39 to engage the; plunger to thus move it inwardly. Upon moving theoover to its openposition the upper end' of the side wall' 39-,moves1 downwardly and releasesb the plungern 45 allowing it to be projectedl as shown` in Fig. 2, this. being the operative condition nti theA lighter causing it to become incandescent.,

The lighter unit is retained in the. casing with its; inner end substantially in line with the inner eudzof thel partitionv wall. I8 by means of` diametrically opposed projecting pinsV 41 engaged; in: bayonet slots 48 in the front and rear sides of; the upper end of the casing and opening in the right'` hand edge thereof, these' bayonet slots being suchk that upon inserting the lighter and imparting. a. slight turning movement thereto theV lighter is locked' in its; operative relation in, the device. rI'he arrangement permits the lighten unit to be readily removed for the purpose; of iilling it with lighter fluid. and also to enable thel lighter. to be used independently from the container when desired;vr

'I'heoperation is as follows :A

Asshown in` Fig. 1 the device .is in its-.normal closed' position. When it is desired to removes. cigarette vtherefrom the cover member is moved downwardly to ther position as shown in Figs. 2V and 6, where the upper end. of the left hand side wall. 3'is. in line with the. upper end of the side wall I5 of the case, and theeje'ction and lighting opening; is fully exposed. During this opening movement of the cover the upper end of the right bandi wall 39 moves below the plunger 45 of the lighter unit allowing the plunger to project and causeVV the lighter to become incandescent.` As the cover moves downwardly its lug 36 rst moves along the vertical portionv 33 of` the ejection spring` and. thereupon moves along the inclined camI portion 32., this latter movement, occurring asthe upper end of the sidewall 38. movesacross the endv off the uppermost cigarettey in the case,

the movement of the lug along the camming portion allowing the spring to move inwardly as shown in Fig. 2, so that its finger end 35 disposed behind the uppermost cigarette causes this cigarette to be projected. The projection by means of the spring is only partially along the partition wall IB but is suiiicient to project the end portion of the cigarette so that it may be conveniently gripped by the mouth of the smoker. Thereupon the cigarette is partially withdrawn to the point where its inner end leaves the inner end of the partition wall I8 whereupon it is caused to move upwardly into alignment with the lighter unit by the propelling force of the following cigarette, this action occurring before the cigarette can be completely withdrawn. As the cigarette moves upwardly into alignment with the lighter unit the smoker simply presses the cigarette into engagement with the incandescent lighting element and draws upon it until it becomes lighted, the cigarette being then completely withdrawn. Upon closing the cover the spring is'caused to be moved to its retracted position behind the uppermost cigarette and the lighter unit is rendered inoperative by causing the plunger to be retracted by engagement therewith of the upper end of the side wall 39 of the cover. At this; same time the upper end of the side wall 38 closes the ejecting and lighting opening. Closing movement of the cover is limited by engagement of the lug 36 with the edge of the cut-out 20 of the upper front wall portion l l.

In order to refill the container with cigarettes the cover is moved downwardly to its lower limit which is determined by engagement of the lug 36 with the edge of the cut-out 2| of the lower front wall portion I3, thelling opening being thereupon exposed so that cigarettes may be slid into f'place, the push shoe 24 being retained in its lower position by engaging the button 26 in the bayonet slot 29.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it will be understood that changesmay be made therein, within the spirit and scope thereof, as dened in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what is claimed fand desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a combined container and lighter for cigarettes, a case including vertical side and end walls and adapted to contain a plurality of vertically superimposed side by side cigarettes with the ends of said cigarettes substantially in guided engagement with said end walls, a fixed horizontal cigarette guiding abutment wall in said case extending partially across it and terminating in inwardly spaced relation to one of said end walls and vertically abutting the upper side of a portion of the uppermost cigarette in the case between its end to be lighted and a point substantially inwardly spaced from its mouth engaging end, said one end wall having a lateral ejection passage in lateral alignment with the end of said uppermost cigarette and a cigarette receiving lighter compartment vertically oiset above said ejection passage and vertically continuous therewith, and a lighter unit vertically above said abutment wall and disposed in lateral alignment with said cigarette receiving lighter compartment.

2. In a combined container and lighter for cigarettes, a case includingl vertical side and end walls and adapted to contain a plurality of vertically superimposed side by side cigarettes with the ends of said cigarettes substantially in guided engagement with said end walls, abutment means in saidA case extending partially across it and ter' minating in inwardly spaced relation to one of said end walls and vertically abutting theupper side of a portion of the uppermost cigarette in the case between its end to be lighted and a point substantially inwardly spaced from its mouth engaging end, said one end wall having a lateral ejection passage in lateral alignment with the end of said uppermost cigarette and a cigarette receiving lighter compartment vertically offset above said ejection passage and vertically continuous therewith, a lighter unit vertically above said abutment means and disposed in lateral alignment with said cigarette receiving lighter compartment, spring pressed feed means adapted to exert upward vertical pressure on the cigarettes in the case and movable ejection means normally disposed behind the uppermost cigarette in the case adapted to be actuated to projectl said uppermost cigarette partially .along said abutment means and partially through said ejection passage, said partially ejected cigarette adapted to be further partially withdrawn from said case to disengage it from said abutment means whereby it moves vertically upward under the force of said feed means from said ejection passage to said cigarette receiving lighter compartment in lateral alignment with said lighter unit.

FRED STEIN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

